


As One Door Closes, Another Opens

by froxyn



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-19
Updated: 2010-04-19
Packaged: 2017-10-09 01:03:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/81330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/froxyn/pseuds/froxyn





	As One Door Closes, Another Opens

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SecondSilk](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SecondSilk/gifts).
  * Inspired by [A History in Drinks](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/457) by SecondSilk. 



Ethan produced the bottle from his jacket with a flourish. Rupert watched as the bottle was passed around from person to person, a smile on his face. Ethan was curious about the smile, but didn't bother asking. Chances were that Rupert wouldn't tell him anyway.

He liked Rupert…and he trusted him. Well, as much as he could trust anyone. But, Rupert wasn't the type of person to just open up and tell you his entire life story. In fact, when asked a direct question he would, more often than not, redirect the question to someone else or simply change the subject.

Ethan watched as Rupert lifted the bottle of gin to his lips and took a heavy swig. "So what are we going to do this evening?"

The mysterious smile returned to Rupert's lips as he reached behind him and grabbed a book. He chucked it into the centre of the circle formed by the small group of people and took another drink from the bottle before passing it to Ethan.

Ethan blindly took the bottle as he stared at the cover of the book. The flickering candle giving just enough light for him to see that the embossed image on the cover seemed to be a monster of some sort.

"What the _fuck_ is that, Rupe?"

"_Must_ you call me that?" Rupert sighed.

"Well, I could always call you 'sweet cheeks', but you don't seem to like that either." Ethan stated with a lecherous grin.

Rupert rolled his eyes as he flipped open the cover of the book with his index finger. "I've been bored lately. Thought this might help liven things up around here."

Deidre grinned proudly, resting her head on Philip's shoulder. "I made a light last time."

Rupert stared at her. "Yeah, you did…and now's the time for growing up. Anyone can make Tinkerbell lights, Dee."

"I thought it was cool…" Randall said quietly, offering Deidre a small smile.

"And that's because you're a sad little ponce." Ethan replied, turning his attention back to Rupert. "So, tell me, Rupert…what the hell are you playing at here?"

"Not playing." Rupert responded, leaning back and allowing his gaze to roam over Dee's body before looking into Ethan's dark eyes. "We conjure up a demon."

"Uh…_why_ would we do that?" Philip asked, his eyes widening when he realized that Rupert was deadly serious.

"Freedom…power…" Rupert said, taking another long drink of gin from the bottle. "But, most importantly…for the fun of it."

"Fun?" Deidre spluttered. "You think summoning a demon…if that can even _be_ done anyway…is fun?"

"Oh, it can be done." Rupert stated confidently. "And it's not the summoning part that's the fun part."

Ethan raised an eyebrow, intrigued at the statement, and pulled the book closer to him. "What's the fun part then, mate?"

"Sex, drugs, and possession."

Four sets of eyes turned towards Rupert. Rupert grinned and lit a cigarette.

He blew a puff of smoke into the air, his eyes sparkling in the candlelight. "And the possession is nearly as fun as the sex and drugs that this particular demon thrives off."

Ethan's smile grew as he listened to and watched the other three. Deidre's fingers trembled as she reached for her cigarettes. Philip questioned Rupert's true intentions, stating that if it was just an orgy he wanted that something could possibly be done about it. Randall looked at Rupert in awe, wondering what would happen if they couldn't control the demon.

Rupert didn't bother answering either of them, merely leaning over and lighting Dee's cigarette for her.

Ethan nodded slowly, his excitement growing and showing brightly in his eyes. "I think it's a ripper of an idea."

Rupert turned to Ethan and arched an eyebrow. "A ripper, huh?"

"Pull it off and I reckon you've earned yourself a proper nick. Much better than 'Rupe' or 'sweet cheeks', don't ya think?"

"I'm not in it for the nick, Ethan." Rupert licked his lips and leaned forward. "Let's have some fun, eh?"

Ethan gave another nod and glanced down at the book. "Says here we all need to bear the mark of the demon."

Rupert reached into the bag sitting next to him and pulled out a bottle of ink and a very crude tattoo machine. "Who's in?"

Ethan pushed his sleeve up above his elbow.

It wasn't long before the other three decided to join in as well.

* * *

The smell of fresh cannabis hung heavily in the air. Cannabis and sex…two scents that complimented one another nearly perfectly.

Ethan wiped the sweat from his chest, heaving a deep breath as he pushed himself up. "Fucking hell…"

He smiled as Deidre attempted to curl herself around Rupert's body. His smile grew as her attempt was thwarted by Rupert rolling his eyes and gently nudging her towards Philip. Philip chuckled and draped his arm over Dee's stomach…allowing his exhaustion to take him away. Randall rubbed at the marks left on his neck by a possessed Rupert and cleared his throat.

"I want to try."

Ethan snorted, sitting cross-legged and naked on the thin mattress. He lit a cigarette and grinned as Rupert rolled onto the mattress with him, resting his sweaty head against Ethan's thigh.

"Eyghon would have you for a mid-morning snack, Randy."

Randall glared at Ethan. "It's _Randall_, not Randy. You fuckwit."

Rupert chuckled and opened his still-glazed eyes. "Fuckwit…interesting."

Randall smiled proudly over the fact that he'd made Rupert laugh. His smile faded as Rupert sat up and stretched, turning his bright green eyes towards him.

"He may well be a fuckwit, Randall. But…he's right." Rupert reached over and placed his hand on Randall's shoulder in a comforting manner. "Eyghon is strong…stronger than even I was expecting. You're not ready yet. You're nowhere _near_ ready yet."

Ethan took a deep drag from the cigarette and handed it to Rupert. He blew a few smoke rings before releasing the rest of the smoke from his lungs. He met Rupert's eyes and leaned back, resting his hands behind him on the mattress.

"I'm next."

Rupert looked at him, casting his eyes down Ethan's nude body, and dusted the ashes from the cigarette onto the floor. "We'll see."

Ethan shook his head. "I'm next, Ripper."

Ripper grinned and ran his tongue over his bottom lip. "Then you should practice. You may be more than a _snack_ for him…but, he'd still rip you in two."

"Can I practice too?" Randall asked softly, hopefully.

Ripper regarded him carefully and then passed over the nearly empty bottle of gin. "I'll teach you, Randall."

Ethan snorted and lowered his tired body back to the mattress. "Private tutelage from Ripper Giles. What more can a boy ask for?"

Randall finished off the gin and smiled when Ripper gave him a wink.

Ethan closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. The vision of Eyghon possessing his friend should have terrified him. But, it didn't. Instead, it had given him a new outlook on life…and shown him what he wanted from it.

Ripper was going to give him what he wanted. Ripper would make Ethan the man he was destined to be.

It should have given him nightmares…terrorized his sleep. But, it didn't.

In fact…in the past six years, Ethan hadn't slept as well as he did that night.

Something changed in Ethan that night. Something that even Rupert, now Ripper, could not have imagined. Something had been wakened inside of him, something that had been dormant for his entire life. And it filled him with a strength that he couldn't explain.

Months later, after Thomas had joined them and after numerous possessions by each of them, Ethan didn't even try to stop Randall as he reached for the book. He merely grinned, holding Ripper's arm to keep him from running towards the younger one as Randall read the incantation.

And an hour later, as Ripper knelt on the hardwood floor…tears streaming down his face as he held Randall's bloody body…his _headless_ bloody body…Ethan felt nothing. He felt nothing for Randall, even muttering that he was an idiot of a kid who couldn't have possibly understood what all of it meant. He hadn't shied away as Ripper lifted his red-rimmed eyes and glared at him.

He smirked, shaking his head at this pathetic group of people gathered around a fool's corpse.

He had outgrown them. He needed more. And he knew just where to find it.

"Be seeing you." He mumbled as he turned and walked out of the room.

At one time, hearing Ripper's anguished screams would've brought Ethan to his knees. But, not now. Not any more.

Now, he held his head high…proud and strong. A new chapter was opening in Ethan's story. A new chapter that he was eager to learn more about.

He grinned and grabbed his jacket, slamming the door behind him to muffle the cries of the others. Without a second look back, he walked away.

And left them all behind.

 

~ End


End file.
